CONTRA COSTA COUNTY -- Officials will continue their investigation today of a small plane crash that killed two people Tuesday afternoon near Byron.

No one else was injured when the single-engine, homebuilt Glasair III crashed and burned around 2 p.m. in a field near Marsh Creek Road and Byron Highway. Officials originally said one person had been killed in the crash, but announced the discovery of a second body about five hours after the crash.

Officials have not released the identity of either person. A deputy at the Contra Costa Coroner's Office said work to recover and identify the bodies would probably begin Wednesday.

FAA records show the "manufacturer" of the home-built plane is David S. Behne, and the plane is registered to a company called DSB Inc. out of Fernley, Nev. Behne is also shown as the registrant of a private landing strip, known as "Funny Farm Airport," in Brentwood, about four miles north of the crash site.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, with the help of the Federal Aviation Administration. A basic preliminary report may be released within a week or two, but it may take months for the NTSB to determine a probable cause for the crash.

Weather conditions in the area around the time of the crash were fair, with partly cloudy skies and light winds of less than 7 knots, according to the National Weather Service.

Advertisement

The Glasair III is a 21-foot two-seater, with a top speed of 327 mph and a 23-foot standard wingspan. It is sold in four "kits" that users assemble at home; the total price of the kits ranges from $60,711 to $65,735, according to the Glasair website. Users can also purchase a prebuilt wing or fuselage.